After ArtHop breakup, here’s the plan for a new monthly vendor street fair in Fresno
Why Not Wednesday.
That’s the name Fresno announced as part of the new spin-off of ArtHop, which was shooed indoors this month as city leaders looked to put regulations in place for vendors.
Why Not Wednesday will debut Wednesday, Sept. 18 along Fulton Street from Fresno to Inyo streets, according to Mayor Jerry Dyer. The monthly event will be set on the third Wednesday of every month, setting it apart in both the day of the week and in its focus from ArtHop.
“Whether a local food truck, a unique craft vendor or an aspiring young entrepreneur, there’s a place for you at this event,” Dyer said.
He estimated about 15 officers would patrol throughout the event, and said trash service and mobile toilets were also planned.
Dating back to the 1990s, ArtHop had grown into one of the most successful draws bringing people downtown to shop, eat and look at art. Its held at various studios and venues on the first Thursday of the month.
Officials announced in late July that before something unforeseen tarnished the celebration, they wanted to get a handle on the event that was drawing as many as 15,000 to Fulton Street stretching from Mono Street and the Brewery District to Tuolumne Street and Warnors Theatre — and often farther.
The plan irked many small business owners, craft peddlers and food sellers who said they’ve put in the work to make ArtHop as successful as it is, only to have city leaders jerk the rug out from under them.
Leaders on Wednesday said ArtHop would look like it did in August, which is to say no vendors would be allowed on the street but could work with area businesses to set up indoors.
Why Not Wednesdays was an attempt by the city to allow for the popular street fair, while reducing the costs incurred by the city. The new plan will also require business and other permits by vendors.
How will Why Not Wednesday work?
Vendors will be required to apply for one of the allotted 150 spots along Fulton through the Downtown Fresno Partnership. If approved, the cost per event for a food vendor would be $100, and other vendors would pay $50. Minors who sell their crafts and other goods would not be charged fees.
Officials said they did not know how many vendors attended the street fair part of ArtHop so they could not compare it to the new cap of 150. Many of the vendors under the old system were not licensed and no one kept count, they said.
The vendors would also now be required to have the correct type of business permit from the city, which Councilmember Miguel Arias said costs vendors $24 annually.
Trucks and other mobile food vendors would be required to have the proper clearance by the Fresno County Health Department.
Arias said five downtown sponsors will be in charge of organizing vendors to cut down on any undue direct competition with brick-and-mortar shops.
“We’re keeping costs very nominal for the vendors,” Arias said. “(It’s) free for the public to attend.”
He said the vendors’ fees would help pay for trash cleanup and other requirements related to the event, stressing that the city coffers would not get any of that money.
Arias said the city plans to develop an advertising campaign, including a logo for the new event.
The term “Why Not Wednesday” was coined by Jon “Denver” McTighe, a Modernist bartender. McTighe said it was a term he used before for a gathering with his friends, and he pitched it when he heard the city was looking for a name.
A number of downtown business owners and workers gathered as part of the announcement. Frida Cafe owner Albee Sanchez said he, like many downtown fans, had misgivings about the plans to halt outdoor portions of ArtHop.
“The vision now is we’re adding an event. So we’re going to create more opportunities for people,” he said. “This is something I have learned to love, and I’m so excited about the process.”
Some ArtHop-goers remained skeptical of the change to the third Wednesday of the month.
Crystal Rocha and her partner, who run ReHop together, said they have been attending ArtHop for about a decade and preferred if the city stayed out of the successful event.
Between the two of them, they paint and write, and sell stickers and other goods for a living, she said. ArtHop has long been an important part of their lives and work.
“Not just the financial aspect, but it goes beyond that. It’s how we connect with the city. It’s how we are citizens and how we participate,” she said.
She said she didn’t buy the city’s explanation for changing such a long-running event.
Fresno police schedule and staffing impact
A major factor in the changes, according to city leaders, was related to the costs to pay police officers patrolling the downtown during the event.
Despite being the day of the week with the fewest amount of reported crimes, according to Arias, Wednesday has the most officers on the schedule. So leaders have argued the street fair makes more financial sense on the heaviest cop day.
Fresno Police Officers Association President Brandon Wiemiller told The Bee earlier this month the patrol schedule was implemented about 10 years ago, and was not at fault for the changes to ArtHop.
Rocha pointed to the union’s comments in her skepticism of the new plans, and said she resented the city trying to push street artists inside.
“People do care about ArtHop,” she said. “ArtHop was something really beautiful that the community built up and to be co-opted by the city like this is wrong.”
This story was originally published August 21, 2024 at 4:47 PM.
